Orange County DUI Attorney

Pamela Bach Sued in DUI Crash

tmz.com reported. Pamela Bach is being sued for her DUI this year -- no, not the one she got over the weekend ... the one before. Mitchell Paulson claims Bach was driving under the influence when she slammed into his car and injured him. Bach -- David Hasselhoff's ex -- pled no contest to the DUI -- which occurred in March -- and was placed on probation. As we first reported Bach was arrested Saturday night for DUI, blowing a .13 and a .14. She will likely go to jail for the repeat offense. A law enforcement source tells TMZ Pamela was "hammered" behind the wheel. As for the lawsuit ... Paulson is seeking unspecified damages.

Orange County DUI: Deputies arrest two for DUI in special enforcement

The Orange County Register reported on Orange County DUI arrests. An eight-hour roving patrol targeting Orange County DUI netted three arrests Friday night, authorities said.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of Orange County DUI during roving patrols in Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods, said Deputy Paul Wade of the Orange County Sheriff's traffic division. A third person was arrested on an unrelated charge. A total of 21 traffic citations were issued.

Sheriff's deputies made 76 car stops during the patrols Friday night, which were funded through a grant from the state's Office of Traffic Safety.

During six of those stops, officers administered field sobriety tests, Wade said.

Deputies also found four people driving without a license, and one person driving with a suspended license.

The two people arrested on suspicion of Orange County DUI were pulled over in Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel.

Orange County DUI: Man goes on trial in DUI death of his pregnant girlfriend

The Orange County Register reported on an Orange County DUI.  A man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend by crashing into a tree while driving under the influence, Orange County DUI, goes on trial today.

Danny Calvin Ruiz, 36, of Laguna Hills is charged with two felony counts of murder in the deaths of Andrea Gerdon, 33, and her unborn child. As a potential third-striker with an earlier Orange County DUI conviction, he faces a maximum of 67 years to life in state prison if convicted, prosecutors said.  Ruiz is accused of having a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 percent - more than twice the legal limit for Orange County DUI - and crashing his Chevrolet Blazer into a palm tree on Camino de Estrella in San Clemente on May 3, 2008, prosecutors said. He was driving home from a wedding reception with Gerdon in the passenger seat and doing more than 60 mph in a 35 mph zone, prosecutors said.

Ruiz, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held without bail.

Orange County DUI: Board favors radar, DUI patrols in Coto, unincorporated roads

The Orange County Register reported on Orange County DUI patrols. SANTA ANA - The majority of the Board of Supervisors today favored the repeal of a county ordinance limiting the Sheriff's Department from traffic enforcement on unincorporated county roads.

"I'm satisfied we've done our due diligence," said Supervisor Tom Wilson. "I'm supportive of Orange County DUI patrols and I will move this item."

If the 1989-enacted ordinance is repealed, the Sheriff's Department will supplement the California Highway Patrol in traffic enforcement, including radar and Orange County DUI patrols.

Questions remaining include whether there would be any cost to the county, why the ordinance was enacted and that both agencies - the California Highway Patrol and the Orange County Sheriff - are in agreement.

"The Sheriff (Department) has assured us there would be no additional costs and both agencies are in agreement," Wilson told his colleagues.

Discussion of this ordinance was brought to the county in December after a crash in Coto de Caza killed 16-year-old Rianna Woolsey. THought to be due to an Orange County DUI.

The gated community renewed a contract with the CHP to do traffic enforcement in their community.

The board will make a final decision Jan. 24

Mohegan Sun sets out to prevent DUI

theday.com reported. - Lynyrd Skynyrd had just played the last notes of "Free Bird," and 10,000 people streamed out of the Mohegan Sun Arena. Tribal Police Sgt. George McCarthy, standing in front of the doors to the Sky garage, spotted a 20-something man who stumbled and slurred his speech when talking to his friend. McCarthy stopped the man and a friend as they headed toward the garage. "How ya doing, sir?" McCarthy asked the man. "How are you getting home tonight?" Three people have been killed this year after patrons left the casino allegedly DUI and caused a crash. Other people have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs after leaving the casino and causing minor crashes or driving erratically. In response, Mohegan Sun has expanded measures to reduce the number of patrons who drive away from the casino drunk. "We're not in the business of overserving," said Chuck Bunnell, the tribe's chief of staff. "The employees are very dedicated to this process. It's very bad for everybody for any type of accident or incident to happen. "The tribal council feels they want to set the standard and protect their patrons and the general public of southeastern Connecticut." At the DUI checkpoint, McCarthy and another security official took the two men aside. They explained that the casino didn't want to see them drive drunk and be arrested by state police. Patrons whom casino officials determine would be unsafe driving get the option of resting in the Cabaret Theatre until they sober up or taking a cab ride home - sometimes paid for by the casino. The men said they had no money for a cab back to Norwich, so a tribal officer gave them a ride. The Cabaret option with doughnut The Cabaret at Mohegan Sun is rarely used for shows anymore. The space just off the gaming floor near the Sky entrance can seat up to 350 but some nights holds just a few patrons too drunk to drive home. Patrons identified as being dangerously intoxicated or who have been cut off can choose to be escorted to the Cabaret, where they get a free coffee, doughnut or sandwich and a quiet place to relax. When a person feels ready to leave, a casino security officer determines if he or she is sober enough. Others choose to take a cab ride home. Patrons pay for their own cab, but in cases where they don't have enough money, the casino will provide them with the cab ride if they live locally. Mohegan officials said that in those cases where the customer can't pay for a cab, it is worth the investment for the casino to pay for it. "The tribal council has set a tone for the property that they want to be good corporate citizens," Bunnell said. "It's a direction that we follow through on these things. Just like for people walking here to work, we invested and put in sidewalks to make sure they're safe." 4,000 employees trained Since 2003, more than 4,000 casino employees have been certified through a training program that helps them detect intoxicated patrons, casino officials said. A Foxwoods Resort Casino spokesman said the casino uses similar training, as well as training from the Liquor Control Commission for many of its employees to spot intoxicated patrons. Servers and other employees learn how to spot someone who is intoxicated. They keep an eye out for people laughing too loudly or someone who has glassy eyes, for instance. Those are some of the cues McCarthy looked for when scanning the crowd headed for the garage after the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. DUI Checkpoints are typically manned by one or two uniformed tribal police officers, a beverage supervisor and a security supervisor. They all look for the same cues and then engage the evidently impaired person in conversation. If there's any question about whether a person can drive, the officers have one-use Breathalyzers that simply display whether blood alcohol content is over the legal limit of .08. Sometimes a person stopped at a DUI checkpoint will be intoxicated but will have a designated driver. McCarthy said once he talks to the designated driver, the patrons are sent on their way. On a typical night, McCarthy said, they approach about 25 people at a DUI checkpoint and a handful take the casino up on the options offered. The others are given the Breathalyzers. If determined to be over the legal limit they are told state police will be notified if they head to their car. If an intoxicated person turns on the ignition of the car, tribal police can arrest and detain the person until members of the state police casino unit arrive. Servers are also looking for cues. If a server believes a person should not have more to drink, the server notifies a beverage supervisor who informs the customer that he or she will no longer be served alcohol. At that point, the surveillance and monitor rooms have already been notified and will use one of the property's 3,400 cameras to capture an image of the person's face. The surveillance rooms are also where security officials can track a person's movements throughout nearly every square foot of the casino's property. "It's really not a place to do something stupid," Bunnell said. The picture and a description of the intoxicated person are uploaded and displayed on flat-screen TVs, visible only to staff, in service areas and restaurants. The night of the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, floor servers were busy as they hurried to fill drink orders while the photos of about eight cut-off patrons rotated on the flat screen TV above the door. The servers didn't seem to pay too much attention to the screen, but casino officials said it's nearly impossible to ignore the constantly rotating images. "They're excellent at what they do," said Richard Zazzaro, the vice president for food and beverage. The cutoff period lasts 24 hours, during which time the photos remain on the slide show. Restaurants were required to install the screens this summer. Previously, beverage supervisors would hand deliver picture printouts of intoxicated patrons. Besides the screens, dozens of license card readers throughout the property enable servers to verify IDs. Casino officials can also electronically cut off the minibar in a guest's room and notify room service that a guest has been cut off from service, said Gary Crowder, senior vice president for resort operations. Liquor Control Commission agents also have a presence at the casinos and watch to see if servers break the law by continuing to pour drinks for already intoxicated patrons. The night of the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, tribal police and casino security stopped intoxicated patrons leaving, but also trying to enter the casino. Three teens between 17 and 20 years old were stopped from entering when officials became suspicious of their age and actions. The teens had driven to the casino and told police they had been drinking tequila in their car. Police escorted them to the Cabaret while they called their parents. The parents said they wouldn't drive the 80 miles to pick them up and asked police to drop them off at a motel. Casino officials said they didn't want to risk the safety of the teens and arranged for them to spend the night at the casino's hotel at the parents' expense. Shortly after the first in a string of fatal DUI crashes earlier this year, state police began DUI checkpoints and roving patrols near Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun. Between Aug. 1 and Nov. 25, about the same period as Mohegan Sun's new efforts, the number of intoxicated driving arrests by state police totaled 144, three fewer than the same period last year. State police and casino officials said it's hard to determine the exact impact of the new efforts. Lt. J. Paul Vance, a state police spokesman, said state police examine not only the number of DUI arrests but also the number of crashes and their causes to determine how effective checkpoints or other measures have been and where more efforts need to be made. The Troop E area, which covers Sprague to Voluntown and East Lyme to Stonington, reported 755 total car crashes between Aug. 1 and Nov. 25. During that period last year, 885 crashes were reported. "That's what we're looking at - cutting down on fatals and cutting down on injury accidents," Vance said. "We evaluate ourselves and look at what we're doing on a continuous basis to plug any possible leaks." Bunnell said the impact for casino and tribe officials is seen during nearly every DUI checkpoint. "It's a success if that on a weekly basis one (intoxicated) person or two or three people are not on the roads," Bunnell said. "There's only so much you can do to try and control personal behaviors ... but we are certainly hopeful that between all of those things we've put in place someone doesn't get that last drink that they shouldn't have

Orange County DUI: DUI suspect crashes into power supply box, exposing wires

The Orange County Register reported on an Orange County DUI.

Avenida San Dimas & El Camino Real. Traffic stop. A 42-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of Orange County DUI and was later taken to a hospital for treatment of bumps on her head, authorities said. 12:41 p.m.

Calle del Comercio & El Camino Real. Traffic stop. A 22-year-old man was arrested on a bench warrant related to charges of Orange County DUI, providing false ID to a police officer and driving while his driving privileges were revoked. His bail was set at $15,000. 3:16 a.m.

Sunday, September 23

E. Avenida Pico, 800 block. Traffic accident-non-injury. A 28-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of Orange County DUI after she allegedly crashed her Jeep into a power supply box and street signs, exposing live wires. She was cited and released from custody Monday afternoon. 10:54 p.m.

Orange County DUI: DUI driver wets self; files $100,000 claim against city

The Orange County Register reported on an Orange County DUI.  NEWPORT BEACH - A Fountain Valley man who wet himself during a Orange County DUI arrest Jan. 3 has filed a claim against the City of Newport Beach seeking $100,000 for pain and suffering.

Davin Palitz has been "publicly humiliated," he said, since it was reported in a local newspaper Saturday that he had filed a claim alleging that police refused to let him use the bathroom during an Orange County DUI arrest.

"My attorney said, 'We're gong to fight this thing, we're going to win this thing, and the city's going to pay,'" Palitz said. Now, "I just want this to be over."

Palitz was convicted of Orange County DUI and sentenced June 11 to 60 days in jail, an 18-month alcohol program, and five years of probation.

It was his second Orange County DUI conviction.

Alleged Drunk Driver Hits State Patrol Car

(ABC 6 News) - State troopers are often on the outside looking in when it comes to accidents. But one local trooper almost became the victim of an alleged DUI this holiday weekend. ABC 6 News reporter Jill Kasparie talked to the trooper and shows us just how close it came to bing a much different story. Thanksgiving was a dangerous day out on patrol for State Trooper Sam Catlin. Around 3 am, he was conducting a DUI stop along Highway 52 when something happened that he never expected. "I never thought i'd be the one hit by a DUI driver on the road," says Catlin. Here's a look from a dashboard cam. A vehicle driven by 25-year-old Holly Berg of Rochester hits Catlin's vehicle. You can see it shaking. "From where i was sitting it looked like she was flying" says Catlin. Berg's vehicle side-swiped the patrol vehicle and as you can see the impact caused about three thousand dollars worth of damage. But that didn't stop Catlin from doing his duty... he takes off as soon as the initial shock wears off. "I saw the vehicle speed by me and when I saw the vehicle speed by, I realized I had been hit by a driver and I needed to stop that car as soon as possible" says Catlin. He was able to stop the car, which also suffered quite a bit of damage as seen in these pictures. And he says he's glad he prevented another DUI accident. "This driver could have killed someone very easily" says Catlin. After the close call, this young Trooper says he's on a personal mission to stop DUI drivers. "I see a lot of innocent people hurt by DUI and that motivates me quite a bit, but this is a pretty big motivating factor too, to be sitting on the side of the road with all my lights going and still get hit" says Catlin. Jill Kasparie, ABC 6 News. The Trooper says he wasn't hurt in any way. Berg is charged with 3rd degree DUI and authorities say more charges could follow.

Orange County DUI: Local senator authors DUI law

The Orange County Register reported on Orange County DUI law.  Senator Bob Huff joined Governor Schwarzenegger and many leaders in the law enforcement community at a press conference this week to highlight Senate Bill 598, his legislation that was recently signed by the governor.

SB 598 allows a repeat offender to voluntarily install an ignition interlock device after an Orange County DUIoffense to apply for a restricted license.

Also in attendance was Assemblyman Mike Feuer, who authored a companion measure that creates an ignition interlock device pilot program and allows repeat Orange County DUI offenders to apply for a restricted license if they install an ignition interlock device on their vehicles.

Fourty-seven states have either a mandatory or discretionary ignition interlock law, but of the approximately 1.4 million drunk driving offenders arrested and convicted each year nation-wide, only 10 percent of convicted DUI drivers who have been ordered to install an interlock device on their vehicle have done so.

In 2006, in California, there were 23,689 people convicted of driving with a suspended license. Studies have demonstrated a significant reduction – ranging from 50 to 90 percent - in recidivism while the devices are installed. But they are only effective if installed.

"Sadly, only a small percentage of people convicted of multiple Orange County DUIs are required by court to install an IID on their vehicles to discourage recidivism," said Huff. "SB 598 provides one more tool to proactively fight drunk driving."

SB 598 passed unanimously through both policy and fiscal committees in both houses and was signed by the Governor on Oct. 11.

Senator Bob Huff serves as the Senate Republican Caucus Chair. He represents portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties – including parts of Anaheim Hills.

Orange County DUI: Police, fire and court briefs from around Orange County

The Orange County Register reported on Orange County DUI enforcement in DANA POINT.

New equipment and increased traffic enforcement for Orange County DUI efforts are on their way thanks to a grant awarded to the city, the Orange County Sheriff's Department announced.

The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program or STEP grant is designed to target Orange County DUI drivers as well as unlicensed drivers, red light runners, aggressive speeders and unbelted car occupants. The money, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety, will pay for more Orange County DUI checkpoints and DUI patrols from now until September 2008.